MTV Networks' Music & Logo Group to Launch Array of 'Hyper-Programmed Verticals'

MTV Networks' Music & Logo Group to Launch Array of 'Hyper-Programmed Verticals'

More than 20 Online Channels in Development Will Enable Audiences to Explore Their Niche Interests Across Music, Fashion & Style, Personal Development, Faith & Spirituality and More

NEW YORK, Nov. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- MTV Networks' Music and Logo Group today announced the aggressive development of more than 20 "hyper-programmed" online experiences, or vertical channels, that are Web content plays uniquely designed to flourish within today's interactive, on-demand environment. The channels, many of which have been in development for months, will debut in the first and second quarters of 2007 and will enable their users to explore and engage in their personal interests, obsessions and topics of choice by covering an expansive range of subjects including: music genres and sub- genres, celebrity fashion and style, personal growth and faith and spirituality, among many others.

Earlier this year, as an experiment in this direction, VH1 launched a stand-alone, enhanced site into the blogosphere called bestweekever.tv. As a companion vertical to the popular "Best Week Ever" TV franchise, this new site offers a deeper selection of pop culture nuggets with even more attitude and includes a host of exclusive mobile and video content in real-time. The site also allows users to create their own front page gossip by uploading their own video and news. Similarly, this past fall, MTV launched "Virtual Laguna Beach," an entirely stand-alone virtual world tied to the hugely successful TV series, and a first of its kind. Additionally, this past June, Logo acquired three stand-alone sites, AfterEllen.com, AfterElton.com and 365Gay.com independently complimenting Logoonline.com and super-serving the gay, lesbian bi and transgender audience.

"These serve as successful models for a new interactive, hyper-programming approach and represent the next phase in the evolution of media for consumers, from broadcast networks to cable channels and now to hyper-programmed verticals," said Van Toffler, MTV Networks' Music & Logo Group President. "Just as MTV networks blazed new territory by establishing linear cable networks built around specific interests and lifestyles, we are now developing new online experiences around niche topics that resonate with our current audiences, as well as those subversive web surfers."

"These verticals can be viewed as 'front doors' into the wide spectrum of passionate and specific interests that reflect our audiences' tastes and desires," added Brian Graden, President of Entertainment for the MTV Networks Music Group & President of Logo. "Each project gives us a unique and liberating opportunity to indulge the unique aspects of Web 2.0 technology in an effort to do what we've always done well, super-serve niche audiences."

Delivering on a two-way proposition, audiences will be able to actively "hyper-program" a number of these vertical channels themselves through next- generation Web tools that allow users to help discover, curate, edit and upload content. MTV, VH1, CMT and Logo will seek to acquire, partner on or organically develop the properties, depending on the topic. A number of verticals under development will serve as companion sites to existing popular television franchises and focus on relevant topics that resonate with their fans. For instance, a vertical built around VH1's hit "Web Junk 20" is geared toward serving as the ultimate guide and daily source of viral videos, while others will be stand-alone creative propositions, without television companions.

Below are projects currently in development:

Web Junk: A companion to the premier VH1 television show, "Web Junk 20," webjunk.tv serves as the "TV Guide of Viral Video." Site users will be able to find today's top clips with just a glance, see "breaking clips" before anyone else, subscribe to email blasts and also receive the latest clips on their cell phones. Webjunk.tv went live earlier this month.

Music/Classic Rock and Classic Hip Hop: Verticals dedicated to passionate music fans from these two expansive genres. Building off the rich programming of VH1 Classic in the rock arena, this companion site will be the definitive online meeting place for classic rockers. And borrowing a page from VH1's Hip Hop Honors franchise -- if you're into old school hip hop, this dedicated site would serve as the primary source for news, interviews, concerts, club events and intimate interaction with some of the pioneers of hip hop.

World Series of Pop Culture: This site will be both an extension of the VH1 show -- offering users the chance to compete online and eventually end up on-air -- and an expansion of the show's sensibility by becoming the ultimate trivia contest site. Users will be able to compete in single-player games, multi-player games, and team-against-team games. Games will range across a broad spectrum of pop culture topics, from movies to music to toys and products. In Q2, users will be given the tools to create their own trivia contests and challenge their peers on the site.

Country Music/Americana: Building on CMT's leadership position in all things country, this vertical initiative seeks to plus out CMT.com, already the #1 site in all of country music.

Talent Load: The "Apollo Theater" of the internet, Talent Load will be the universal audition stage for users who upload videos, responding to specific challenges from the Talent Load site or from other users. A new generation of stars will be created online, with winners of challenges seeing their video featured on VH1's new "60 Second Talent Show," Friday nights. Over time, the site will also serve to assist in the casting process of other television shows.

Eye Candy: The VH1 Eyecandy site will be the ultimate hub for pop culture fans and bloggers, offering digitized content -- both photo and video -- of VH1 News' library from the last twenty years. Users will have the chance to download these photos and videos to an Eyecandy blog, or take them for their own blogs. Users will also have the opportunity to edit video into their own mash-ups, mixes, etc.

Lists & Lists: Lists are at the heart of VH1's brand, and the new listsandlists.com will offer users the chance to create lists of ANYTHING and then rate, edit and compare their lists to similar lists.

Department of Acceptable Media: Announced earlier this month and conceived as a sketch show and website for user-generated content, Acceptable.tv is a collaboration between VH1, Jack Black, and Channel 101's newly founded "Department of Acceptable Media." Each week on Acceptable TV's show, 6 short TV series episodes will compete for user votes on the site. 3 shows will return next week, and 3 new ones will premiere. New episodes will come from a combination of Channel 101 and User-Submitted shows on the internet.

Music/Hip Hop: Elevating MTV.com's "Video Vault" experience, fans of current hip hop and programs like MTV2's "Sucker Free" will be able to access MTV & MTV2 archives for exclusive interviews, award-winning MTV News pieces, timelines of music videos and the chance to see and hear the latest music from today's hip hop stars. Users will also be able to share their own musical musings on this stand-alone site.

Personal Development: Growing out of the connection MTV viewers have with the series "Made," a program that documents the lives of young adults who are working toward a goal or challenge in their lives, this site will serve as a community for those who want to grow and transform themselves by giving them the means to communicate with those who are going through similar experiences to gain insight and share advice.

Dance: This site will be tethered to the upcoming MTV program, "Jennifer Lopez's Dance Life," creating a micro-community for wanna-be dancers. Watch and learn the hottest dance moves by uploading video shorts in the form of lessons and tips, or sit back and check out some of the coolest choreographed moments and performances. This vertical will also match those seeking to learn with peer experts who rise from the ranks within the community.

Faith & Spirituality: This site will serve as a place for young people to congregate and discuss how their daily lives are affected through the lens of spirituality and faith. Questions can be posed, answers offered and similar experiences shared as to how a person's spiritual side shapes their decisions.

My Super Sweet 16: Stemming from the enormous success of MTV's television show, this companion site allows users to upload photos and video from their most elaborate festivities to see who can top each other. Giving young people the opportunity to build a community related to the planning, primping and prepping that goes into coming-of-age celebrations including birthdays, proms, graduations, bar and bat mitzvahs, and more, this site will showcase over-the- top celebrations that you wouldn't believe.

Yo Momma: Serving as the ultimate online source for those famous "Yo Mama" jokes, site users will be able to upload their own comedy with the community voting for the funniest. There will be daily and weekly rankings, as well as tagged categories of Mama jokes. Jokesters will also be able to send their favorite text and video based jokes to friends via "Yo Momma-Grams" or embark on online "Yo Momma Battles," to see who is the cleverest.

MTV Networks

MTVN's goal is to be the premier portfolio of targeted Global Entertainment Communities. Our brands engage, empower and connect diverse audiences with culturally relevant creative content and unique experiences across every platform.

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 130 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 200 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

Source: MTV Networks' Music Group

CONTACT: Jeannie Kedas, MTVN Music Group, +1-212-846-4629,
Jeannie.Kedas@mtvstaff.com, or Matthew Hutchison, MTVN Music Group,
+1-212-846-8052, Matthew.Hutchison@mtvstaff.com; or Marnie Black, MTV,
+1-212-846-7004, Marnie.Black@mtvstaff.com; or Laura Nelson, VH1,
+1-212-846-7920, Laura.Nelson@VH1.com

Web site: http://www.mtv.com/

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